CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN – WAVE THE WHITE FLAG

As Lily timidly took a seat, Joan continued. "I know there have been tensions and disagreements. But we can't let that interfere with our work or our relationships with each other." Dr. Chen spoke up, her voice calm and measured. "Joan's right. We've all been guilty of letting our personal feelings affect our professional conduct. We need to do better." Ryan leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "But how? It's not like we can just pretend everything's fine when it's not." Joan nodded. "You're right, Ryan. We can't pretend. What we can do is communicate more openly and honestly with each other. Starting now." She turned to Lily. "Lily, I know you've been caught in the middle of some office conflicts. Can you tell us what you've observed?" Lily's eyes widened in panic. "I... I don't want to get anyone in trouble." Joan smiled reassuringly. "This isn't about getting anyone in trouble. It's about understanding what's been happening so we can fix it." Lily took a shaky breath. "Well...